Arts organizations and arts advocates engage in a variety of strategies and techniques to build political support for the arts. The Arts Advocacy Checklist is designed to help you evaluate the level of your advocacy involvement against a broad range of activities aimed at enhancing the political environment for the arts in public policy.

The checklist includes many approaches to advocacy that have contributed to successful outcomes for the arts in policy and legislation. Use this checklist to measure the extent of your arts advocacy activity. Assess the advocacy engagement of your arts organization, your audiences and the public you serve.

Once you've completed the checklist and identified areas for improvement, NASAA has a variety of tools to help you achieve your advocacy objectives.

Advocacy and Your Arts Organization

Nonprofit arts organizations play a key role in arts advocacy. Public dollars support their programs, making the arts accessible to more citizens in your state. The well-regarded leaders of arts organizations provide important political connections and powerful voices in support of public arts funding. The audiences of arts organizations are a potentially numerous and vocal constituency for arts advocacy.

Establishing an Advocacy Board

1.

Your arts organization:

Strong

Adequate

Weak

Nonexistent

includes advocacy in the job description of every board member

has established an advocacy committee

makes advocacy an agenda item at every board meeting

trains board members in advocacy

prepares board members to articulate the public benefit of the arts programs offered by the organization

selects nonprofit tax status under section 501(h) of the federal tax code allowing lobbying expenditures of up to 20 percent of the first $500,000 of the annual budget

2.

Your arts organization recruits as board members to work as arts advocates:

Strong

Adequate

Weak

Nonexistent

corporate leaders with political contacts who are active in the arts

trustees and heads of arts organizations

contributors to political campaigns

constituents who know their legislators personally

Cultivating Political Relationships

3.

Your arts organization has developed relationships with legislators who are:

Strong

Adequate

Weak

Nonexistent

influential on arts policy and budget

leaders in the party caucuses

members of special-interest caucuses where the arts intersect with other policy issues

Strong

Adequate

Weak

Nonexistent

4.

Your arts organization consults friends in the legislature for advice and help with strategy.

5.

Your arts organization consults or engages a professional lobbyist to assist in developing important political relationships.

6.

At arts events, your arts organization:

Strong

Adequate

Weak

Nonexistent

invites politicians, their staff aides and family members to attend

connects politicians with board members who are their friends and supporters

thanks legislators in attendance for their support of public funding for the arts

Strong

Adequate

Weak

Nonexistent

7.

Your arts organization provides legislators with an annual report, guide to programs and calendar of events.

8.

Your arts organization provides legislators with information about arts attractions and events to distribute to visitors in their offices.

9.

Your arts organization brings performing artists or exhibitions to the state capitol for special occasions.

10.

In an election year, your arts organization:

Strong

Adequate

Weak

Nonexistent

informs candidates for public office of your positions on arts issues

invites candidates for public office to attend your meetings and to speak on arts issues

makes research and studies on arts issues available equally to political candidates

Developing Alliances and Grassroots Advocacy

11.

To promote an active and informed network of arts advocates, your organization:

Strong

Adequate

Weak

Nonexistent

participates in a statewide coalition of advocates to advance public support for the arts

communicates with a network of advocates to keep current about federal and state legislation affecting the arts

Building An Audience of Advocates

Strong

Adequate

Weak

Nonexistent

12.

Your arts organization credits its public funders in all advertising, news releases, printed programs, posters and calendars of events to raise the visibility of public arts
funding and to let audiences know the value of public support for the arts.

13.

Your arts organization's newsletter includes a regular column on legislative issues in the arts.

14.

Your arts organization sends out advocacy information to its members, with alerts and reminders to contact their legislators on arts issues.

II. Advocacy and the Political Environment For the Arts

The political environment for arts issues in your state depends upon the level of visibility enjoyed by arts advocates and the success advocates have accomplished in building relationships with legislators and creating an involved grassroots constituency supportive of public arts funding.

Arts Advocates Work Together

Strong

Adequate

Weak

Nonexistent

15.

A statewide coalition of advocates promotes public support for the arts.

Strong

Adequate

Weak

Nonexistent

16.

Arts advocates conduct a briefing on arts issues for newly elected legislators at the start of the legislative session.

Strong

Adequate

Weak

Nonexistent

17.

Arts advocates welcome new legislators to office after an election by writing to offer assistance on questions about arts issues, sending along information about the arts in their communities.

Strong

Adequate

Weak

Nonexistent

18.

Arts leaders meet with the editorial board of the local press to discuss issues in the arts and public support for the arts.

19.

Advocates come together annually for a statewide advocacy day in the state capital:

Strong

Adequate

Weak

Nonexistent

to meet with their legislators

to provide the staff and trustees of arts organizations with advocacy training

20.

Your statewide arts advocacy coalition:

Strong

Adequate

Weak

Nonexistent

convenes arts organizations in the state to discuss legislative issues

promotes cooperation on advocacy among arts constituents

works with constituent arts organizations to rally their members and audiences as advocates for public funding of the arts programs they present

provides case-building information on public arts spending to grantees and other arts constituents